One Man Guy

Description

Alek Khederian should have guessed something was wrong when his parents took him to a restaurant. Everyone knows that Armenians never eat out. Between bouts of interrogating the waitress and criticising the menu, Alek's parents announce that he'll be attending summer school to bring up his grades. Alek is sure this experience will be the perfect hellish end to his hellish freshman year of high school. He never could've predicted that he'd meet someone like Ethan. Ethan is everything Alek wishes he were: confident, free-spirited, and irreverent. He can't believe a guy this cool wants to be his friend. And before long, it seems like Ethan wants to be more than friends. Alek has never thought about having a boyfriend - he's barely ever had a girlfriend - but maybe it's time to think again.

Michael Barakiva is a theater director of Armenian/Israeli descent and a writer who lives in Manhattan with his husband. He is the author of the young adult novel, One Man Guy. He is a graduate of Vassar College and the Juilliard School, an avid cook and board-game player, and a soccer player with the New York Ramblers. michaelbarakiva.com

"Hand this one to those who've already gone through Levithan's Boy Meets Boy and Kluger's My Most Excellent Year." --The Bulletin "Barakiva's first novel is at once a sweet-spirited love story . . . the Armenian content adds flavor and texture.." --Booklist "The story will appeal to both young people who are just discovering their own sexuality and readers who enjoy a good budding romance." --School Library Journal "Barakiva's debut is well-wrought and realistic . . . and it's entertaining." --Kirkus Reviews "Barakiva avoids stereotypes and cliches to create a sweet portrait of nascent adolescent love between two boys growing up and finding themselves (with some help from nearby New York City)." --Publishers Weekly "A romantic comedy with Armenian flair . . . Don't miss it." --E. Lockhart, author of We Were Liars "A kind and generous book about the loneliness of a young boy trying to navigate between a chaotic Armenian family and a school of bullying cliques. Alek Khederian deals bravely and inspiringly with the perils of learning to love your family, to love someone else, and most of all, to love yourself." --Eleanor Bergstein, novelist and screenwriter of the film Dirty Dancing